Arrangement including a betatron for radiation of the human body



Feb. 4, 1958 R. w1DERE5E ARRANGEMENT INCLUDING A BETATRON FOR RADIATION OF THE HUMAN BODY 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 5, 1956 INVENTOR A 017 -M6lk5 J W J@L%4 N&PMAW

ATTORNEYS Feb. 4, 1958 R. WIDEROE ARRANGEMENT INCLUDING A BETATRON FOR RADIATION OF THE HUMAN BODY 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 3, 1956 INVENTOR ATTORNEY .S

ARRANGEMENT INCLUDING A BETATRON FOR RADIATION OF THE HUMAN BODY Rolf Wideriie, Nussbaumen, near Baden, Switzerland, as-

signor to Aktiengesellschaft Brown, Boveri & Cie, Baden, Switzerland, a joint-stock company Application August 3, 1956, Serial No. 601,982 Claims priority, application Switzerland August 5, 1955 13 Claims. (Cl. 250-615) This invention relates to apparatus for radiating the human body in the treatment of diseases such as cancer, and more particularly to an improved arrangement of the type described wherein the source of the radiation is constituted by a ray generator which accelerates charged particles such as electrons to high velocity and hence high potential at which instant the accelerated particles are caused to impinge against a target anode to thereby produce the rays utilized in the treatment. One device of this kind is known as a ray transformer or "betatron and a suitable description of the same can be found in my United States Patent No. 2,533,859 issued December 12, 1950, the radiation being produced by accelerating a stream of particles such as electrons repeatedly around an orbit until an extremely high velocity has been attained, and then causing the electron stream to impinge against a target anode to thus produce the radiation.

It is known how to arrange an X-ray tube in such manner that it can be moved relatively to a patient being treated with X-rays, whether for adjustment of the optimum direction of radiation for the treatment, or for carrying out a so-called movement radiation wherein the source of rays is moved during the treatment. It is likewise known how to mount a betatron in a similar manner, in that it is arranged, for example, for vertical and horizontal displacement and rotation on a tripod, so that it can be swung around the patient during the radiation treatment.

When relatively large betatrons are utilized, the above described mounting arrangement proves difficult because of the massiveness and weight of the betatron unit itself. In accordance with the present invention, the betatron unit, which constitutes the heaviest single component of the apparatus, is mounted relatively stationary and the arrangement is such that the patient can be moved around the betatron unit.

A more specific object of the invention is to mount the betatron unit for angular adjustment about a fixed, horizontal axis and to mount the bed or table on which the patient is to lie horizontally and generally below the betatron in a frame which swings with the betatron, the bed being also mounted in the frame for rotation about a horizontal axis and the arrangement being such that the plane of the bed always remains horizontal for any angle of adjustment of the betatron and frame. Moreover, the bed is preferably adjustable longitudinally of the frame in which it is carried, as well as laterally of the frame and also vertically in the frame, such adjustments making it possible to bring any desired part of the patients body into the axis of the ray pencil produced by the betatron and to remain in the ray also during rotation, i. e. angular displacement of the betatron about its horizontal mounting axis.

A further object of the invention is to provide a mounting for a betatron radiation apparatus of the type described in the preceding paragraph and which further ineludes an auxiliary apparatus comprising an X-ray tube mounted above the bed and a fluorescent screen below the Sttes Patent bed which facilitates alignment of the patient for treatment with the rays produced by the betatron.

The principles of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of different typical embodiments thereof when considered with the accompanying drawings.

In these drawings:

Fig. 1 is a view in perspective of one embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of a second embodiment of the invention; and

Fig. 3 is a vertical section taken on line 33 of Fig. 2.

With reference now to Fig. 1, the betatron unit is indi-v cated generally by the numeral 1 and is suspended in an inverted U-shaped support 2 for rotation about a horizontal axis 3-3. No structural details of the betatron unit 'have been illustrated since these are well known and do not, per se constitute any part of the patentable novelty hereinafter claimed. The support 2 is stationary and may be secured, for example, to the ceiling of the room in which the patient is to be treated.

Secured to the betatron unit land rotatable with it about axis 33 is a frame 4 which is comprised oftwo downwardly extending, parallel, spaced arms 5 which are bridged at their lower ends by two parallel, spaced rigid rods 6. The bed or table 7 on which the patient is to lie during the radiation treatment is supported atop a pair of parallel, spaced, horizontal beams 8 which are tied together at their opposite ends by two cross pieces 9. These two cross pieces are secured respectively to, and adjustable vertically along, two pendulums 10 mounted in the arms 5 of frame 4 for rotation about a horizontal axis 11-11 parallel to axis 33. The bed 7 is adjustable along the beams 8, i. e. parallel to the axis of rotation 33 of the betatron unit 1, and also crosswise thereto in the direction of the double headed arrow b. Also,

since the end pieces 9 are adjustable vertically along the pendulums 10, by any suitable means, not shown, the be 7 is also adjustable in a vertical direction.

The invention entails means for always maintaining the bed 7 in a horizontal attitude notwithstanding the fact that the frame 4 and betatron unit 1 can be swung about the axis 33. To this end, a lever 12 has one end rigidly connected to one of the pendulums 10, the opposite end of lever 12 is articulated to one end of a rod 13, and the opposite end of rod 13 is articulated to a stationary bracket 14 which can be secured to any fixed point that is convenient, such as the support 2, or the ceiling, or wall of the radiation room. Consequently, as the betatron 1 and frame 4 are swung in one direction about axis 3-3, the pendulums 10 and bed-7 will be: swung through a corresponding compensating angle in the opposite direction about axis 1111,- thereby maintaining the bed 7 in a horizontal attitude or plane.

The entire arrangement, therefore, is such that any desired part of the patients body may be brought into the electron ray 15 produced by the betatron unit 1- and simultaneously into theaxis 11-41. Moreover, because the ray 15, directed downwardly from unit 1 in the direction of the bed 7, also passes through the axis 11-11 during rotation of the betatron about axis 3-3, the body part always remains in the ray as required for execution of the so-called movement radiation treatment. 7

The embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3 is similar in many respects to that of Fig. 1 and hence corresponding structural components have been assigned the same reference numerals but with primes added for purposes of distinction. The construction in Fig. 2 presents a different, but functionally equivalent arrangement for maintaining the bed 7' in a horizontal plane'- as:the frame 4 is swung about axis 3'.-3'. vIn lieu of 1 the linkage 12, 13 shown inFig. l, thecompensatip g-.

pass through said horizontal axis about which said bed is rotatable as said ray generator is rotated.

9. In an arrangement for radiating the human body, the combination comprising a ray generator such as a betatron unit in which rays are produced by accelerating charged particles such as electrons to high velocity and then causing the accelerated particles to strike a target anode, means mounting said ray generator for rotation about a horizontal axis said rays being directed downwardly from said ray generator, supporting means carried by and generally below and rotatable with said ray generator, a bed for the support of the patient mounted on said supporting means for rotation about a horizontal axis parallel to the axis of rotation of said ray generator, and means interconnecting said mounting means for said ray generator with said supporting means for said bed such that said bed is maintained in a horizontal plane as said ray generator is rotated.

10. In an arrangement for radiating the human body, the combination comprising a ray generator such as a betatron unit in which rays are produced by accelerating charged particles to high velocity and then causing the accelerated particles to strike a target anode, means mounting said ray generator for rotation about a horizontal axis, said rays being directed downwardly from said ray generator a frame secured to and rotatable with said ray generator, a pair of pendulums mounted at opposite sides of said frame and which is parallel to the axis of rotation of said ray generator for rotation about a horizontal axis with respect to said frame, supporting means carried by said pendulums, a bed mounted on said supporting means, and means maintaining said bed in a horizontal plane as said ray generator and frame are rotated.

11. An arrangement as defined in claim 10 for radiating the human body wherein said means maintaining said bed in a horizontal plane comprises a lever secured at one end to one of said pendulums, a rod having one end thereof articulated to the opposite end of said lever, and the opposite end of said rod being articulated to a stationary support.

12. An arrangement as defined in claim 10 for radiating the human body wherein said means maintaining said bed in a horizontal plane comprises a first pulley mounted on the axis of rotation of said frame and rotatable with said frame and ray generator, a second pulley mounted on the axis of rotation of one of said pendulums and rotatable with said pendulum, said pulleys being of the same diameter, and an endless belt interconnecting said pulleys.

13. An arrangement as defined in claim 10 for radiating the human body wherein said supporting means are adjustable along said pendulums to thereby vary the height of said bed.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,000,497 Pohl May 7, 1935 2,110,954 Grossmann Mar. 15, 1938 2,640,159 Gerneth May 26, 1953 2,781,454 Green et al Feb. 12, 1957 

